A Second Chance at Life
by Fateless Wanderer
Summary: What would happen if one of your sisters got a premonition that would change your life as you knew it forever? What happens when Piper, Phoebe, and Paige get to experience the ultimate good, with the ultimate evil?
1. The ressurection

Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will own anything from Charmed. It belongs to it's producers and the WB.

* * *

Dear Diary,  
The memories are getting stronger and more frequent. Sometimes I can hear them. I always knew I was different, some how, but I never thought my own mind would show me strange images. Most people would think they were crazy. Not me. I want to know more.  
Maybe I should start at the beginning. The flashes, which I believe are memories, started a month ago. I see things, and people, whom I've never met before, and yet, they're all familiar. Like I feel a connection to them.  
There's one girl in my memories who is the most common. I saw her all the time, and I have a really strong connection to her. She's in her late twenties, possibly early thirties in most of the flashes. But sometimes she's younger. I like the older memories better, they're much more interesting.  
There are two other recurring women in my memories. They're slightly younger than the first. I think they're all sisters. They have these really amazing abilities. I wish I had sisters. The first girl, she has the same power as me. I guess I forgot to mention that. When the flashes started, I began to have a power. I'm working on control, but it's not easy. I wish I could ask the girl in my memories for help. But someone's coming. I'll be sure to write more later.  
Sincerely,  
Patience Halliwell

* * *

"Phoebe? Phoebe?" A young woman with light brown, wavy hair walked into an old house, closing the door behind her, the slam adding to the thunder that rolled around in the air on the other side of the wooden barrier. She was soaked and not at all happy about it. She shook her hands to rid them of water as she gazed around the dark foyer. She slowly removed her coat, and she rubbed her hands together to get warm again. "Phoebe?" Paige Halliwell called again. 

"Attic!" her sister called back. Paige moved her hand to flip the lights on. "Don't even bother. Electricity is out." Paige rolled her eyes and withdrew her hand, then ran up the stairs to the attic.

"How'd you know I was going to try and turn the lights on?" Paige asked, as she entered the attic and walked towards the slightly older woman who sat cross legged on a futon near the attic window, a flash light in her hand and an old, thick book open on her lap. Her short brown hair was pinned up and a cup of tea rested beside her left knee.

"Touched the switch when I got home. Saw it." Phoebe replied without looking up from the book at her younger half sister.

"Figured. What are you doing?" She looked at Phoebe's determined face. Had something happened while she was gone? A flash of lightning illuminated Phoebe's face and thunder shook the house.

"Phoebe believes something bad, or at least magical, is going to happen, and soon." A third woman, the oldest of the three said as she walked into the attic, her long brown hair hanging loosely over her shoulders. Paige, startled, jumped and orbed out, her power from her father, a white lighter, only to reappear again the next moment. Phoebe finally turned from the book to look at her sister.

"Paige?" Piper raised an eyebrow and drew out the "a" in her sister's name, placing her hands on her hips. "I thought you learned to control that?'

"Yeah, so did I," Paige responded, a little confused. It had been a while since she learned to keep from orbing out when spooked by a little thing like the appearance of another person.

"See, more proof."

"Oh, Phoebe, for goodness sakes. Nothing is going to happen. If something was foing to happen, you'd have had a premonition about it by now." Piper informed her, shaking her head.

"Not if we can't control our powers, Piper," Phoebe said, fixing her stare on her older sister. Piper frowned back at her.

Paige shook her head and flopped down on the futon across from the clairvoyant witch. "Anyway, Phoebe, can I borrow your red dress when I go to that party tonight?"

Phoebe's head shot towards her sibling. "No! Absolutely not."

"But Phoebe, I always return your clothes, unharmed, you know that."

"That's not the point Paige. Any other night, and yeah sure. But I don't want either of you to leave this house under any circumstances. Speaking of which, Piper, where are Leo and the boys."

Piper looked at her sister, a confused expression on her face. "Leo took Wyatt and Chris to Europe for the week. Said he wanted some fatherly bonding time with the boys. Why?" She said slowly, wondering what Phoebe could be getting at.

"Good. That'll give you more free time to help me."

"Phoebe!" Piper again drew out the name of her sibling, if only to prove the point that she was still the oldest, the boss in the house. "What are you talking about?"

"Piper, remember what happened the last time there was a night like this?"

"Um… no." Piper said, getting a bit aggravated with her sister.

"Think. Think hard." Phoebe said, placing her hands on Piper's shoulders. Suddenly a premonition struck her. Phoebe opened her eyes. "Don't worry, it'll come to you in oh, about 3, 2, 1."

"Wait… didn't we, and the spirit board, and you, and the book, and then bam?" Piper worded it, so that hopefully, unless she was right, Paige wouldn't know what she was talking about.

Phoebe smiled as realization hit her sister's face. She clasped her hands together, and pointed at Piper. "Exactly."

"Um… anyone care to explain to the out of the loop half-sister what you're talking about."

Piper looked down at her feet, and shook her head. "The last time we had a storm this violent, was the night Phoebe read from the Book of Shadows and unbound our powers."

"And tomorrow is the anniversary of Prue's death." Phoebe added.

"Which have absolutely nothing to do with one another, Phoebe." Piper told her. She never liked that topic.

"Oh contraire, sister dear." The middle sister told her. "I don't think it's any coincidence that we have a storm as like the one that took place on the night we got our powers, and it being the eve of our sister's death. Something's going to happen. And if I'm right, it'll happen at midnight. I just want to be prepared."

Piper looked at her watch. "Well, you've got four hours, Tabitha." Piper told her, an air of sarcasm in her voice. Phoebe frowned out her sister, and watched her leave the attic.

"And don't even think about going out," she called after her. Paige opened her mouth to say something. "No Paige."

"Come on, Phoebe. Like Piper said, nothing's going to happen."

"Paige, it's too risky. Please, I already lost one sister, don't make it so I lose another." Phoebe told her, placing a hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Paige sighed. "Fine, but you better be right."

Phoebe nodded. "I think I am."

Suddenly, thunder shook the house again and the lights turned on.

"Well, the power's back. That has to be good, right?"

Phoebe smiled weakly as Paige left the attic, and then went back to her reading. Something wasn't right. She was having premonitions at random, and Paige was having trouble controlling her orbing. All they needed was for Piper to accidentally blow something up instead of freeze it, and she'd be sure they were all royally screwed. Something was brewing, but as far as she could tell, it was neither all good, or all bad.

* * *

Dear Diary,  
Sorry Trista interrupted before. She has the worst timing sometimes. I wish she'd just leave me alone like everyone else does at this school. I wish grams had never sent me here. She told me it was to keep me safe. But safe from what, I'm not sure. She got me mad. My pillow flew at her face. It was really funny to watch her run away screaming like that. She told Mrs. Earls, but she didn't believe her. They thought she was crazy.  
Anyway, ever since Grams died, I'm alone, and that's the only reason I haven't left. If I did, where would I go. I mean, who would take me in. I have no family, no friends. No one. My only company is my visions, and the three girls in them. I heard their names finally. I mean, I've been hearing sounds when I've had them, but their names have always been hidden from me.  
I want to know who they are. I want to find Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Maybe Prue can help me. Explain how to control my power, so that I won't get busted if someone actually happens to believe Trista one day.  
But for now, I'm stuck here. Stuck at this blasted school, with only three witches in my mind to keep me company, and tell me stories.  
Sincerely,  
Patience Halliwell

* * *

Phoebe sat at the kitchen table between her two sisters, a cup of tea in her hand. Piper and Paige were still not convinced that something was indeed going to happen that night, but for the sake of keeping their middle sister calm, they agreed to stay home. Phoebe kept glancing at the clock on the microwave. 

"Phoebe, relax, it's 11:59 and nothing's happened." Piper told her, getting up from the table and spirit board that Phoebe insisted they have with them. She walked over to the sink and poured out her coffee which had gone cold a short time before. "Well, I'm going to go to bed."

"No wait." Phoebe insisted as the clock finally struck midnight. Phoebe looked away from her older sister and down at the spirit board on the table as each successive chime progressed until midnight. At the twelfth chime Piper looked at her sister again.

"Well?"

"I don't understand it. I swear I felt something was going to happen." Phoebe argued, standing up and bringing her tea over to the sink. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does, Phoebs. You're stressed out and anxious. Tomorrow is a painful day. You were just aggetated."

"Uh… guys. You might want to come look at this," Paige called out to them, grabbing the note pad from where Phoebe had been sitting. Piper and Phoebe looked down as the pointer on the spirit board moved slowly to the letter "t" all on it's own. Piper frowned, and Phoebe gulped.

"What does it say, Paige?" Piper asked, knowing that the youngest witch had seen it all.

She turned the pad around to show them, and Phoebe immediately dropped the empty mug, which Piper tried to freeze, and made explode before it even hit the ground.

"I told you!" Phoebe snapped, pointing at the shattered cup.

"I…I…"

"Yeah, you. You who said that nothing was wrong. How do you explain your blowing up the mug instead of freezing it? And how do you explain," Phoebe questioned, grabbing the note pad from Paige and tossing it in front of Piper's face, "this?"

Piper re-read the word. A-T-T-I-C. Attic. The same as the night they got their powers. "I can't."

"They we go to the Attic." Phoebe said, a determined look on her face.

"But what if it's a trap. A Warlock, demon, or darklighter? Or even worse?" Paige protested.

"We'll never know unless we check. And the last time this happened, nothing bad happened."

"Unless you count the mass numbers of demons that were brought to us by the awakening of our powers, no nothing bad happened." Piper commented.

Phoebe frowned at her. "I'm going. With or without you." She left the kitchen and began the climb to the attic.

"Phoebe wait. We're coming. If there is something bad up there, you'll need the power of three." Piper said, grabbing Paige by the hand and dragging her up the stairs after Phoebe who had already disappeared into the attic. "Afterall, you never know what to expect, right, Phoe—be!" Piper squeaked the last word as she and Paige reached Phoebe's side. Two older woman stood in the center of the attic, shimmering.

"Mom. Grams." Phoebe managed. "But how? We didn't summon you."

"Sometimes, things are a little more important for us to wait for you to realize it and summon us." Penelope Halliwell told her granddaughters.

"Hello Paige," Patricia Halliwell said. Paige remained silent. So this was her mother. She just nodded, to freaked out to talk.

"I didn't know our ancestors could summon themselves," Paige whispered in Piper's ear.

"Obviously the need never arrived." Piper told her.

"So?"

"Personal gain."

"Oh, right. Never mind then." Paige corrected herself.

"What's so important?" Piper asked her mother and grandmother, who didn't completely take on physical form.

"Phoebe, come here and take this." Grams told her. Phoebe nodded and took the wrapped object that Penny held out to her. Suddenly her power triggered, she felt herself go rigid, a ringing in her ears as her mind showed her a young girl, about fourteen years old being chased by demons in a storm. There was something familiar about the screaming girl. One of the demon's grabbed her by the girl by the wrist and threw her to the ground in front of sign that read 'Mrs. Earls' Academy for Young Women'. Suddenly Phoebe's eyes opened. She looked shaken. She unwrapped the object and noticed it was a diary. Suddenly Penelope grabbed the book from her hands. "You mustn't know more. And we've got to go, but I assume you know what to do?"

Phoebe nodded. "Save the innocent."

"And bring her back here. To this attic. Phoebe, sweet heart. This is very important. You all must not fail. If you bring her back here safely, we'll be able to explain more." Patty told her. Phoebe nodded again.

"Good bye girls," their mother told them and then she and their grandmother were gone.

"Phoebe?"

"It was a girl. A young girl, barely a teenager. And she was being attacked by demons outside her school." Phoebe told them, running out of the attic. She had never felt such urgency before.

"Phoebe wait up! It's midnight. Where are you going?" Piper questioned, chasing after her, Paige hot on her heals.

"Mrs. Earl's Academy for Young Women."

"Where?" Paige asked her as Phoebe threw her coat on and went to open the door. Piper slammed the door shut with her hand.

"It's the school the girl goes to. Piper get out of my way."

"Phoebe. Think about this. It's after midnight. If she's as young as you say, then she wouldn't be out this late. She's safe until morning." Piper argued with her.

"No Piper. This is urgent."

"Even so, Pheobs. There are probably hundreds of girls at that school. You know nothing about her, how do you propose to find her?" Paige asked.

Phoebe glared at her. "Piper move! Either you're with me, or you're against me." Phoebe glared at her until Piper released the door and grabbed her coat. Paige sighed and grabbed hers as well.

"So much for sleep tonight," Paige told Piper as they proceeded out into the rain and to Piper's car.

* * *

A young girl with black hair and large brown eyes stole quickly out of the window of the room she and her roommate shared, although she spent more time in it than the other girl. She climbed onto the drain pipe that lay against the brick building. If there was ever a night when she would run away from Mrs. Earls, the night of a storm was best. She reached in through the window and pulled out a book bag filled with clothes and food and tossed it onto the bushes below, then quickly shimmied down the pipe, landing with a thump on the ground. She grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder. She was completely dressed in black, which she figured was better to hide herself with as she walked swiftly towards the school gates. She was saturated in moments, as she sped across the ground, her hair falling in straggling strands down the back of her neck. A twig suddenly snapped behind her. Patience looked around, her heart beating faster than it already was. Did someone know she had snuck out? Were they following her? She saw no one, but quickened her pace, as the rain began to fall harder. Another snap and Patience froze again. She looked behind her. No one. She sighed and blamed it all on nerves. Turning around, to begin walking again, she screamed. A man stood in front of her. His face was mangled and beaten, as if someone had ran over him. He grabbed her by the shoulder, and grinned evilly at her. More of his kind emerged from the trees surrounding the school grounds. Patience screamed again and swung her bag off her other shoulder and into the man's face, and then ran for all she was worth. 

Most of the demon's followed, but two stayed behind: The one who grabbed her, and one who appeared to be slightly younger. "Are you sure that's her, Sarton"

"Yes. Tonight is the night when she would be reborn completely. Tonight is the night she is most vulnerable. Tonight we kidnap the girl and we wait for her to be reborn, and the we turn her to our side."

"And if we fail?"

"We don't, Ergro" Sarton said and ran after the other demons and Patience, the younger trailing just behind him. They caught up to the group in seconds. Sarton could see and smell the fear on Patience. He pressed himself harder and caught up to her just as they reached the edge of the grounds. He grasped her wrist and threw her down. Patience screamed as he landed ontop of her, pinning her failing arms and legs against the moist earth. The other demon's gathered around them.

"Help me! Help me! Someone Please." Patience cried, but her sound was drowned out by the constant thunder overhead.

"No one's going to help you little girl. No one." Ergro told her, grinning maliciously over Sarton's shoulder. He and the other demon's laughed, as Sarton's hands began to grow green, and Patience felt her body go numb.

"I can't move. Why can't I move?" she cried out, scared more than she had ever been in her entire life.

"Because you're alone in this world. You're alone in a world where no one can save you and no one wants you. Because you belong to me." He told her.

"WRONG! We want her," a female voice rung out from behind him. Sarton turned to look over his shoulder. Phoebe glared at him. He suddenly smiled.

"Well, if it isn't the Charmed Ones, come to save one of your own."

"What the hell is he talking about?" Paige asked her sisters, Piper shrugged.

"PHOEBE! PIPER! Help me!" Patience called out to the older two of the group. They both suddenly froze. How did she know who they were? Phoebe shook it out of her mind.

"Now Piper!" Phoebe cried out. Piper shut her eyes in hopes that it would work. Suddenly the demon's froze. Piper let out a relieved sigh. "Paige orb her out of there. With our powers not functioning right, who knows how long Piper can keep them frozen."

"Right." Paige told her, concentrating. She orbed in, grabbed the frozen Patience and orbed back to her sisters, just as Piper's power wore off.

"Oh Boy. Go go go! Into the car, now. Get in the damn car." Piper said pushing them towards the car, and trying to blow them up, but it wouldn't work. Phoebe and Piper stood in front of Paige and Patience who ran towards the vehicle. Paige grabbed the handle when the lock suddenly closed.

"Oh shit."

"That's right bitch. You're stuck, and your puny powers can't help you tonight. The girl is mine."

"Not in this life time, creep." Piper called out, pure anger coursing through her body. She blew up one of the demon's.

"Is that the best you got, bitch," Sarton snarled, as Piper stood in front of her sisters to protect them. She was scared. Nothing like this had ever happened, except for why they were just learning to use their abilities, and it had been years.

"Believe in yourself, Piper. I know you can. You have to save us." A familiar voice reached out to her.

"Prue?" Piper called out.

"Believe Piper." Suddenly power shot from Piper's hands and all of the demons except Sarton and Ergro shattered into millions and millions of pieces. Piper passed out on the ground.

"Oh boy. We're in trouble," Phoebe breathed, kneeling beside Piper and checking her pulse as the two remaining bringers of evil approached them.

"Stay away from them!" Patience cried out, glaring at them. Suddenly they flew back across the grounds and slammed into the sign for Mrs. Earls.

"Whoa," Paige exclaimed, looking down at the girl.

"Yeah," Phoebe said. "No wait. Get in car now, Explain later." She grabbed Piper's keys off her body, and used the power locks to unlock the doors. Patience climbed in the front seat, and Paige orbed Piper into the back seat with her. Phoebe jumped into the drivers seat and sped off just as Sarton and Ergro came too.

"Damn it, Sarton. You said she'd be ours. Now the Charmed Ones have her."

"Well, if she can't belong to us, Ergro, we'll just have to kill her." Sarton said, shaking his head to clear his mind. "Well kill them all."

* * *

Phoebe paced back and forth in the family room of the Halliwell manor, her head cradled in her hands. Paige sat in a chair, trying to calm her down, and Piper still lay unconscious on the couch. Patience sat in another chair. 

"Ok, let me get this straight. Your name is Patience Halliwell. You're fourteen years old. You've been having visions of me and my older sisters for the past month, and you can move things with your mind?" Phoebe asked, for the tenth time.

"Yes." Patience answered, again. "That's how I knew who you and Piper were." She looked up at Phoebe. "I've seen you."

"And you also knew that we were witches?" Paige asked and Patience nodded.

"And you knew our name was Halliwell, too?" Phoebe regarded her. Patience looked taken aback. Her mouth gapped open a little and she stared. She shook her head.

"I thought I was alone. The last of my family died when I was much younger."

Phoebe sat down at the foot of the couch and cradled her head again.

"I don't understand this. I just don't."

"Don't understand what?" Piper asked, slowly coming to.

"Piper!" Patience exclaimed, getting excited. Piper ignored her for a moment.

"Phoebe, what don't you understand? And where's Prue?"

"Piper, what are you talking about?" Paige asked her.

"Just before my power worked, I heard Prue. She told me to believe in myself, and I did, and it worked. Phoebe, what don't you understand?" Piper insisted, looking around the house for her older sister. If it was possible for their mother and grandmother to return from the dead on their own, then Prue could too, she was sure of it.

"No Piper. What you heard was Patience." Phoebe told her, shaking her head.

"Patience?" Phoebe pointed at the girl who sat on the couch. Piper looked at her. Patience nodded.

"Yeah, it was me. But Phoebe, Piper, where is Prue? She can help me, she can teach me how to use my power." Patience told them, getting rather anxious. She looked around the house, expecting the third member of her visions to appear.

"Power?" Piper asked her sister.

"Long story. Basically, the little witch here saved our lives when you passed out." Paige informed her.

"Not only that, but Patience power is exactly like Prue's and she's a Halliwell." Phoebe finished.

"But how does she know about us?"

"Apparently, for the past month, she's been seeing premonitions about you, me and Prue. She didn't know who we were, just our first names, and that we had powers. When we found her, she was running away from Mrs. Earls' in order to find us. Is all that right, Patience?" Phoebe explained. Patience nodded her head.

"But why doesn't she know Paige?"

"It seemes the visions she's been getting seem to stem from before Prue died. Meaning I was never in your lives." Paige told, Piper. Phoebe shrugged.

"Prue's dead?" Patience asked, fear in her eyes.

"Afraid so." Piper told her. Patience nodded and looked down at her feet.

"Well, what now?" Paige asked.

"We go upstairs, to the attic. We summon Mom and Grams. They said they'd explain." Piper told them.

"They better," Phoebe agreed, and Paige nodded.

"Alright, come on Patience. Upstairs. Time to find out what this is all about." Piper told her, leading her to the stairs. Phoebe and Paige followed right behind her.

* * *

A few minutes later, they were ready to cast the summoning spell. Patience sat directly between Paige and Phoebe. Phoebe held a knife in her hands, as Piper lit the candles. Then she sat down between Paige and Patience. Phoebe held up the knife. 

"What's that for?" Patience said when she saw the knife.

"We have to bleed for this spell to work." Phoebe explained.

"Ok, but can't only one or two of us bleed?" Paige asked, innocently, desperately trying to avoid what she knew was inevitably coming.

"No, because the spell requires the at least the power of three." Piper explained, patiently.

"But what does that have to do with me?" Patience asked, nervously. Paige may not have been able to get out of it, but there was still hope for her.

"Well, if you're a Halliwell, and you're a witch, Not to mention a witch with one of the same powers that runs in the family line, it's very likely that you're part of our family and the more witches who do this, the stronger the spell. Especially because we have to summon two of our ancestors." Piper explained again. Still, both Paige and Patience didn't look convinced.

"Come on, you two. We all want answers, and it's not that bad really." Piper told them.

"This from the witch who couldn't stab her own finger the first time we did it." Phoebe said, amusement in her voice.

"Hush you. No lets start." Phoebe nodded and handed the knife to Paige.

"Youngest first."

"You're making that up!" Paige argued.

"Am I?" Phoebe asked, smiling. She had to bring some good to the whole situation, bad as it was. Paige just frowned at her but sighed, and then closed her eyes. She placed the knife at the tip of her finger and pricked it.

"Ouch." She winced and handed the knife over to Phoebe, who instantly touched it to her own finger, without wincing.

"Patience, give me your hand." Patience reached her hand to Phoebe, who stabbed it quickly. The Phoebe started to hand the knife over to Piper.

"Um…"

"Oh for god sakes!" Phoebe said, grabbing Piper's hand and pricking her finger. "You're all wimps." Piper glared at her and then stretched her hand over the pieces of their mother and grandmother's jewelry that they had in the center. She squeezed a drop of blood into it, and then so did Phoebe, Paige, and Patience, who them immediately began to suck on the wound to end the pain. Paige just smiled at her.

"Ok, ready?" Piper asked. Paige and Phoebe nodded, but Patience didn't look so sure.

"This part doesn't hurt. I promise." Phoebe told her, wrinkling her nose. Patience nodded and looked down at the piece of paper Piper had given her with the spell written on it. She hopped she could do this.

"Penelope and Patricia Halliwell, blood of our blood," Piper began with Phoebe, as Paige joined in. Patience could hear her own voice join in with them readily, as if something inside her wanted her to be doing this. "Our grandmother and mother, we summon thee."

Slowly in front of them, the two Halliwell women appeared. Patty smiled at them.

"You did it. You saved Patience."

"For now." Penny added.

"What do you mean, for now, grams? You promised you'd explain." Piper spoke up. She never usually had the nerve to stand up to her grandmother, but there was a teenage girl in the attic, with the same last name, and their family's power, and her own powers were acting like they were new to her. However, before Penelope had the chance to explain, Patience jumped up and ran to her.

"Grams! You're alive." Patience threw her arms around the woman.

"No dear. Just back until I'm not needed anymore. But you're safe now. And you're almost ready to carry out the task I made you for."

"You made her?" Phoebe asked, skeptical of what was going on.

"Phoebe, Piper, Paige, sit down on the couch. It's time your grandmother explained this to you." Patty told them. They nodded and walked over to the couch. Patty sat beside them, running her fingers threw Paige's hair, having never been with her daughter before. Paige let her, not really sure what to think.

Patience sat on the floor at grams' feet, leaning back against the woman's legs. She was still crying, so thankful to see the woman again.

Penny sighed. "Well, where to begin. Oh right, Phoebe, Piper, a few years after your mother died, I became painfully aware of my own mortality, and the mortality of you two and Prue, so I cast a spell. With it, I removed some of your mother's DNA from each of you three, and some of your father's DNA, even though I didn't want to. I only used it because it would make what I did stronger, if the product was exactly like you. I created a spell to form a child, a baby girl from the DNA that I took. And I then gave her characteristics of all three of you, that she would later grow into if the need arose. I feared the world losing the power of three." She took a deep breath and looked at Paige. "But it seemed I didn't have to worry about that. However, I placed a spell that would keep Patience hidden from you three, and then when she was old enough, I sent her away to a boarding school for girls. She was never aware of your existence as you were never aware of hers. Patience has but one purpose in life. I made her to be a carrier, a vessel for a soul."

"What are you talking about?" Piper said.

"I'm talking about Prue's death. I created Patience so that if one of you was to die prematurely, exactly five years after that death, they would be reborn with all their memories into Patience."

"What?" Phoebe said, shocked. "You mean, Prue's being re-born into Patience. What about Patience's own identity?"

"Phoebe, Patience has no friends, and after I died, no family. If none of you had ever died, Patience would have continued to live as herself until her own death as an old woman, but if one of you did, as Prue did. Patience's body would begin to become an open vessel for that soul, until the exact time when the soul left it's own body. At that time, the soul will enter Patience's body."

"So what you're saying is that, shortly, very shortly, Patience is going to become Prue, not to mention a thirty year old Prue in a fourteen year olds body?" Paige asked.

"So I didn't work all the kinks out. I was worried about the existence of the power of three, and my granddaughters."

"Well, that explains why she has memories of us, and Prue's power." Phoebe said.

"And why I thought it was Prue when she spoke to me." Piper added.

"But it doesn't explain why our powers are on the fritz." Paige remarked, raising an eyebrow. Her sisters also looked at Penny.

"Prue's soul needs more power to enter Patience. Part of the spell was to borrow some of the power from her sisters. Which, obviously included Paige."

"So our older sister's ghost has our powers, so she can move into a new body?" Phoebe asked, a confused look on her face. Patty and Penny nodded.

"And the demons?" Piper questioned. Things were slowly starting to make a little bit of sense.

"Patience/Prue will be vulnerable during the five minutes it will take for the spell to finally come into play. During that time, Prue could be easily be persuaded to evil."

"And the demons knew this. They planned to capture Prue and turn her evil. What'll they do now that they've lost? Give up?"

"Hardly," Patty told them. "They'll try to kill all four of you now. They'll try harder than ever."

"So we'll have to be extra careful." Piper said. Penny nodded to her.

"But there's one more thing."

"What's that?" Paige asked her.

"Prue's ghost doesn't know she's being re-born and she's in the dark about everything that's happen since she died. So…"

"So what your saying is that when Patience finally wakes up as Prue, she's gonna be confused as hell."

"Phoebe!" Patty said, shocked.

"Sorry, mom." Phoebe apologized, blushing.

"And since Prue's going to be in the body of a fourteen year old, we've got to take care of her."

"Right. But we've got to go. You have to send us back now that you know everything. Prue's going to be confused enough without your mother and I being here." Penny told them, tears in her eyes. Phoebe and Piper nodded, and then hugged their mom tightly and then hugged Grams. Paige cautiously hugged her mom, still unsure of what was going on, and then gave Grams a hug. Patience wouldn't let go of Grams. She had remained silent during the whole conversation, quietly accepting her destiny. But yet, she couldn't let the one person who had loved her leave.

"Please don't leave me Grams. Please." Patience pleaded.

"Patience, listen to me. You're going to do a great thing. I want you to trust Piper, Phoebe, and Paige." Penny told her.

Patience pulled back tears. "Alright."

"Come on," Paige said, guiding Patience towards the small table in the middle of the room. Phoebe, Piper, Patty, and Penny followed. They all sat down and held hands, Patience trying her best not to cry.

Piper sighed and began the spell. "Penelope and Patricia Halliwell, blood of our blood, we release you." She bit back the need to keep them there and watched as they disappeared.

"So, Patience is our sister, sorta," Phoebe said.

"I guess so," Piper added, ruffling the teens hair.

"She's got a tighter blood tie to you two than even I do," Paige told them. Piper shook her head.

"Paige, it's not about blood."

"Yeah, you're as close as your heart believe you are," Phoebe hugged her around the shoulders.

"Owwww." Patience cried out and doubled over in pain.

"Oh my god, Patience!" Piper said running toward the teen.

"Rephrase that Piper," Phoebe said, looking down at her watch.

Piper looked at Phoebe. "Oh boy. It's time?" Phoebe nodded. "It can't be time? You're joking," she said as she reached the girl who was rocking back and fourth on the floor in pain. Paige joined her, using her healing powers to help ease Patience's pain. Phoebe shook her head. "Damn!"

Patience began to glow, and her pain stopped completely. She shut her eyes and her body went rigid. Suddenly Phoebe, Paige, and Piper felt weak.

"She's using our powers." Piper managed to say as they sat down limply against the wall, watching the teenager's body, as it began to levitate slightly off the ground. Phoebe watched her watch. She kept glancing up at Patience, not letting her eyes close. And then the glow the young girl was giving off ceased, and her body fell to the floor. The girl moaned, and slowly sat up. Paige, Piper, and Phoebe suddenly began feeling stronger. Their power returned, and then stood up, slowly approaching Patience.

"Patience?" Paige asked.

"What?" The young girl blinked. "Who are you?"

"Oh boy." Piper said.

"Piper?" The girl looked around her. "Phoebe? Did you guys summon me?"

"Prue?" Piper asked. She knew it was true, but then again it was too good to be true. Patience even resembled Prue when she was a teen, and she sounded like her too.

"Yes Piper? Care to explain?"

Phoebe shuddered. "Even in that body she still has the power to make me feel like I'm being questioned by an elder."

"Phoebe, what are you talking about? And who is this?"

"Um, Prue, there are a few things we have to tell you." Piper said, looking at Phoebe, and then back at the teenager in front of her.


	2. The Power of Four?

I try not to mess much with boring author notes for this story, so yeah, go ahead and read. I do apologize for grammatical and spelling errors. I've got a blasted Kidney stone, and the pain is killing me, but I still wanted to get this up for you all.

* * *

"Phoebe? Piper? Did you or did you not summon me?" Prue asked again, contorting the teen's face into the 'answer me or else' expression.

"Ehhh… Not," Phoebe told her, trying to usher Paige toward the door. One less thing to explain at that moment.

"The what or how did I get her? Wait, what are you doing?"

"Ummm… nothing." Phoebe cringed. How did she do that? How could a Prue, in the body of a child, stop her cold. She touched Paige's shoulder, motioning for her sister to return to the center of the room with her.

"Prue, calm down for a second so we can explain." Piper said, more forcefully than she had ever spoken to her older sister before. She was getting rather comfortable in the role of oldest. Prue paused and folded her arms over her chest, staring at Piper and Phoebe.

"So…" Phoebe mouthed.

"So explain!" Prue stated simply.

"Where do you want us to start, your highness." Phoebe shot back.

"Argh! Stop that! I feel like I'm in the middle of you two again." Piper cut into the semi-feud. Prue had been back for less than two minutes. Paige snorted out a small laugh, and Phoebe tried to hide a grin.

"It does, doesn't it?" she said quietly to Piper, who nodded.

"Whatever." Prue shook her head. "Why not start with her?" she suggested, jerking her head towards Paige. "She obviously knows we're witches, or she'd be freaked out about now. How did she find you out?"

Piper and Phoebe sighed. "I can't believe Grams and mom kept her in the dark about this." Piper said.

"Grams? What about the Elders? I bet it was their doing." Phoebe argued.

"Guys! It doesn't matter why she doesn't know The point is, she doesn't know." Paige cut in, getting tired of beating around the bush. She turned back to her older; no younger; oh, what did it matter, it was too confusing to follow anyway; turned back to her sister. "Prue, my name is Paige Matthews Halliwell, and I'm your younger half-sister." Paige blurted out.

"What?" Prue stared at her.

"Oh boy."

"Uh-oh."

Paige shot Piper and Phoebe glares, and then turned back to Prue. "It's true. After Phoebe was born, mom had an affair with her white lighter, Sam, and Poof! Instantaneous fourth Halliwell daughter. But white lighters and witches couldn't be in love. You know about Piper and Leo. So mom abandoned me in a church. My adoptive parents died a few years before I found Piper and Phoebe, right after you died."

"I don't believe it," Prue said after a few moments.

"I know. I was surprised to find out too," Paige answered, smiling.

"No. I mean I really don't believe it. And you two bought her story?" Prue asked, turning on her two younger siblings.

"Prue, calm down."

"No Piper! I will not calm down. I can't believe you and Phoebe believed her story. I go away for five years and this is the trouble you get into. It's a wonder you aren't dead."

"They're alive because of the Power of Three!" Paige shot back. Prue moved her hand and threw Paige against the wall."

"Paige!" Phoebe yelled, and ran to her younger sibling. She knelt beside her, as Paige rubbed her forehead, which was bleeding slightly. Phoebe held her back from retaliating.

"The Power of Three ended when I died!" Prue shot at her. She turned back to Piper. "She's probably a warlock. I can't believe you let her in here!"

"Who's a warlock?" A new male voice entered the attic.

Prue looked up at Leo, and gave a small, half smile. "Leo! Thank god. Tell my sisters they've been harboring a warlock!" Prue said, looking toward Piper's husband.

"Um… sisters?" Leo asked confused. Who was the teen?

"Oh, um, Leo, you remember Prue," Phoebe said forcefully, drawing out her sisters name, hoping her brother-in-law, white lighter would take the hint.

Leo frowned, and Piper jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow, so Prue wouldn't notice. "Ow-oh! Sorry Prue. I didn't recognize you at first. It's been a while. You said Piper, Phoebe, and Paige have been harboring a warlock? I haven't sensed any, but I'll check."

"What? No! Paige, or whatever her name is, is the warlock!" Prue exclaimed, finally standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

"No Prue! Don't!" Phoebe called out. But it was too late; Prue looked up at Phoebe. Way up. Her mouth dropped open slightly and her eyes got larger.

"When did you get some much taller than me?" She whimpered, obviously scared.

Phoebe bit her lip. "When you turned into a child."

Again, Prue's eyes got large. "What!" she exclaimed, running out of the attic towards the nearest mirror.

"Wait a minute! Prue!" Piper said, taking off after her older sister. Phoebe was right behind her, and Paige attempted to follow.

"Paige, wait." Leo stopped her. "Maybe it's better if Piper and Phoebe calm her down alone?" He asked, more suggesting that it might be a good idea. Paige sighed and nodded. She walked across the attic and sat down on the futon where Phoebe had left the book of shadows. She began to flip through the pages.

"What are you looking for?" Leo asked, quietly approaching her. He sat down beside his sister-in-law, who shrugged. "Paige?" He asked again, drawing out the 'a' in her name.

"You sound like Piper when you do that." Paige informed him, attempting to change the subject, but not looking up from the ancient pages. Where was that blasted spell?

"Paige!" Leo said, causing her to look him in the eye. He had one eyebrow raised in question. She sighed, defeated.

"Why does she have to not believe me? Why is she so quick to think I'm evil? Why is it so hard for her to believe that she could have another sister?" She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Leo sighed. He had a feeling that was what was bothering Paige. She was one of his charges, not to mention one of his sisters-in-law; they both were.

"Prue is having a hard time believing that her perfect mother could have had an affair, let alone lie to her. Plus, she's always been very protective of Piper, and especially Phoebe. She's not nearly as trusting as they are. But if there is anyone who can convince her, it's those two." When Paige didn't seem to believe him, Leo paused. "And they can always summon Patty and Penny back. So disappearing is not the answer." Leo explained, placing his hand on the Book of Shadows. Paige blushed and gave a sheepish smile.

"That obvious, huh?" she asked and Leo smiled and nodded. Paige just shook her head, and closed the book. "Alright. I'll stay." She paused and then frowned at her brother-in-law. "Leo, where are Wyatt and Chris?"

"Magic school." Leo informed her. "I sensed you all were in some type of trouble." Paige nodded. "My turn. How did Prue get here in the body of a teenager?"

"No fair! My question was easy." Paige protested. Leo shrugged and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, alright. Sheez, how does Piper deal with you?" she laughed and began the long complicated explanation to the white lighter.

* * *

Piper found Prue staring into the mirror of the upstairs bathroom, her eyes moist with unshed tears. Phoebe stopped behind her older sister and peered at Prue over Piper's shoulder. The older witch moved to the side slightly so Phoebe could help.

Prue could recognize herself in the teen. The girl looked much as Prue had when she was fourteen. Infact, had someone not known better, they would swear that the girl and Prue were twins.

"Oh honey," Phoebe began, but Prue cut her off.

"Who is she?"

Piper sighed. She knew Prue wouldn't easily accept this, and she guessed that Prue was starting to grasp what had occurred. "Patience Halliwell." Piper told her. Her older sister nodded and sat down on the lid of the toilet, cradling her aching head in her hands. How could this be.

"Prue?" Phoebe asked tentatively. She felt like taking her now teenage sister in her arms and cradling her. Being an older sister to Paige for the last five years had changed her.

"So how did I get in her body?"

Piper nodded, understanding that Prue knew that that had happened, and knowing it was time for an explanation. "Fourteen years ago, Grams began to think about the mortality of the charmed ones. She was unaware of Paige's existence." Piper paused when Prue winced at the sound of her younger half-sister's name. "So Grams took DNA from mom and Dad, from us and created a little girl. She used a spell to hide Patience from us, and then sent her to a school for young women." Piper stopped again and waited for Prue to nod her understanding. Prue signaled that she understood and that they should continue.

"Patience was created for one purpose, Prue. To become an open vessel for one of us, if we should die prematurely. In this case, that would be you. Five years after you died, your soul could then enter Patience and live again. If none of us had died, Patience would have continued to live her own life, and die an old woman." Phoebe finished the explanation for Piper.

"So, I really am alive then?" Prue asked. "I haven't just been summoned?"

"Nope, you're really alive. A thirty year old in a fourteen-year-old's body, but alive." Piper told her, smiling and running her hands through Prue's hair, switching into mommy Piper mode. Prue just shook her head.

"I know it's a lot to comprehend, but we swear, every word of it is true. And it's not possible for us to have gotten something wrong, as mom and grams didn't tell us until about 5 minutes before you moved into Patience." Phoebe explained in their defence. Prue nodded and pulled back some tears, both of joy and sorrow. She couldn't believe that just because she died, a young girl's life was sacrificed, magically created or not. She took a deep breath and looked at her young sisters.

"And Paige?"

"Really is our sister." Phoebe said softly.

"Half-sister." Piper corrected. "But we still love her, and we can't have you trying to vanquish her."

"Not that we don't love you, too." Phoebe added, hugging Prue around the shoulders. Prue nodded and let it sink in.

"She got your smile, Prue." Piper told her.

"And your legacy," Phoebe told her, smiling. "With a white lighter twist." Prue looked at her sister, not completely understanding. "She has a twist to the telekinesis. She says something's name and thinks about it, and poof! It orbs too her," Phoebe finished. Prue laughed. A fourth sister. Another Halliwell for her to protect.

"Oh-no! I know that look all too well, missy." Phoebe laughed.

"What look?"

"You know. That 'I'll protect them at all costs' look," Piper added, having seen it in Prue's eye too.

"I don't have a look." Prue protested.

"Oh yes you do. But we hate to remind you, but you're in no position to be the oldest protector anymore. That's my territory now." Piper informed her.

"In case you've forgetten, I'm still thirty on the inside." Prue fought back.

"Yes, but that would still make Piper older than you."

"So I'll protect you and Paige."

"Some protector you'd be, shorty." Phoebe joked. Prue lunged for her, but Phoebe levitated out of the way.

"So not fair!" Prue pouted, but Phoebe just stuck her tongue out and laughed before settling back down on the floor.

"Prue?"

"Hmmm?"

"I think you owe someone an apology." Piper informed her. Prue nodded, and led the way back up to the attic. Things would be tricky now. She was alive; she had three sisters, not two; and she was only fourteen. But somehow, she would protect all three of them, should the need arise. And she had a feeling, it would.

* * *

Piper turned the attic door's handle, to find Leo and Paige in deep discussion about what had occurred. She placed her hands on her hips, and frowned when they didn't notice that the three of them had come back.

"Paige! Leo!"

Both white lighters sprang up, and Paige orbed out, and back in again. "Damn it! Didn't Grams say my power would be back to normal when this was over?"

"Nope," Phoebe told her, hopping over to the futon and sitting down. "But they should return to normal soon, now that the power hog is done borrowing them." She shot a mock glare at the teen in the doorway. Prue just stuck her tongue out at Phoebe. Paige looked from Piper, to Phoebe, to Prue, and then back to her older sisters. Prue sighed.

"I don't blame you if you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"But if you did, I'd be alright with it. I used my power on you, and I shouldn't have. After all, you are my sister." Prue looked up at Paige.

"I take it that's an apology."

"As good a one as you'll ever get out of Prue." Phoebe shot from her corner in the attic. Prue glared at her. "What? I didn't say anything. It was Piper."

"Me? Whoa! Don't get me involved in this."

"What, Piper are you scared? She's fourteen!" Phoebe laughed, suddenly she was floating, and it wasn't her own levitation ability doing it. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted. "I forgot you could do that." Prue laughed and dropped Phoebe onto the futon. "Damn you."

"What was that?"

"Nothing… It was Paige."

"What?" Paige exclaimed!

"You never learn, do you Phoebs?" Piper asked, shaking her head. She turned to Paige. "Don't worry Paige. Prue always knows when Phoebe is looking for a scape goat."

"She does it often." Prue told her, looking at Piper and Paige, while keeping Phoebe suspended in the air.

"Personal gain! Personal gain!" Phoebe cried out! Prue shook her head.

"Nope! Sweet revenge." She dropped Phoebe again, this time, barely missing a chair.

"Hey, watch it." Phoebe said, rubbing a sore spot on her arm that bumped the chair as she fell. She yawned, and looked at her watch. "Gods, I'm tired. Did anyone realize it was six o'clock in the morning."

Piper, Paige, Prue, and Leo all shook their heads.

"Now that you mention it, I am exhausted." Prue said yawning.

"So am I." Paige added, glancing at her own watch.

"Where's Prue gonna sleep?" Phoebe asked, realizing they were out of bedrooms.

"She can sleep with me," Paige offered.

"You sure, Paige? I'm used to sharing a room with her." Phoebe told her younger sister.

"I'll sleep with Paige." Prue cut in, hurriedly. Phoebe pouted. "I really want to get to know her better." Paige smiled at her and led the way out of the attic.

"Really, you do?" Paige asked, surprised. Prue laughed.

"That and Phoebe kicks."

"Hey! I heard that!" Phoebe called, following them out. Piper just shook her head, and yawned.

"Tired sweety?" Leo asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her.

"Sweety my butt," she retorted, but she kissed him back. "You be exhausted too, if your younger sister had a feeling and made you stay up until midnight, then your mother and grandmother decide to invoke a premonition upon her, then you have to follow her in the dead of night to save some girl you never knew was your own flesh and blood, you kick demon ass, get knocked unconscious, summon your ancestors, who inform you that not only is the innocent your flesh and blood, but will become your older sister shortly. Then she becomes your older sister, in a smaller body, with a short fuse, and you spend the next half hour trying to calm her down enough that she doesn't do anything crazy."

"Did you just say all that in one breath?" Leo asked, laughing. Piper glared at him.

"Leo, you have the worst timing, you know that. I think it would have gone a little faster had you not orbed in."

"Sorry."

"Speaking of which, we have two sons. Where are they?"

"Oh! I almost forgot. They're at magic school. I'll go get them and meet you in bed?" Leo suggested. Piper nodded, and kissed his cheek. He orbed out in mid kiss.

"I hate when he does that." She remarked to herself, and walked out of the attic, shutting the light. She didn't see the Book's pages turn.

**The Power of Four**

_We call upon the power of four_

_The power to light the way_

_A power greater than all_

_A power to seal away our fears forever_

_A power to make the darkness cower in terror_

_A power we possess deep in our hearts_

_A power that can never be destroyed_

_Turn this evil away from us_

_Banish it once and for all!_

_The power of Four will be your fall!_

The spell flickered on the page and disappeared, leaving nothing but the page's heading left. And then the book closed.

* * *

Piper crept down the darkness of the hall and stopped in front of Paige's door. She opened it slowly, to find the curtains drawn closed completely and Paige laying sprawled out on the bed in a dead slumber. Prue sat beside her, watching her sister sleep, running her finger along Paige's locks.

"Sweetheart?"

"She really is like me."

"Yeah. She is. I knew you'd like her. Get some sleep Prue." Piper told her, coming in and kissing her sister on the forehead as a mother might do, and as she remembered Prue doing to Phoebe when they were little.

"Yeah, ok. Night, Piper."

"Night Prue." Piper closed the door and went across the hall. She opened the door slowly, so she wouldn't wake Phoebe. But, she didn't have to, Phoebe sat on her bed, holding a picture in her hands.

"Phoebs?" Piper asked. What was it with her sisters and being awake? Phoebe didn't even turn to look at Piper.

"Can it really be true?"

"What sweety?"

"That Prue's back?" Phoebe looked at her, tears in her eyes. Piper frowned and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. She approached Phoebe's bed and sat beside her sister, running her fingers over Phoebe's head. The younger witch turned and sobbed into Piper's shirt.

"Oh, Phoebe, what's wrong?" Piper asked, wondering why her kid sister was crying. Prue was back. She was alive. All four of them were together. Phoebe didn't answer, but continued to shake. Piper used one hand to sooth her sibling, and the other took the picture from Phoebe's hands. She looked down at the photo of her and Cole, her ex-husband. "Oh Phoebe." Piper pulled her sister away from her. "Look at me. I know it's painful."

"If she can come back Piper, why can't Cole? Why couldn't he come back good?" She pleaded with Piper. Her sister was lost for words. She watched Phoebe, searching her.

"I don't know Phoebs. I suppose it's possible that he could. But I don't know."

"Piper, it's not that I don't love her, and that I'm not thrilled to have her back, but I wish it had been him. I wish I had Cole back."

"No, Phoebe, you don't. And you know that." Piper told her. "I know you miss him. But deep down, Phoebs, you know he's where he belongs." Phoebe sighed and nodded. She took the picture away from Piper and instead of setting it back in the draw she had pulled it out of, she placed it beside her bed, next the picture of Prue, Piper, and herself as children, the picture of them as adults, and the picture she had of Piper, herself, and Paige. She brushed the tears away from her eyes.

"He belongs here." Phoebe said. "And where he is." Piper nodded, and ran her hand over Phoebe's face.

"Get some rest, Phoebe. You're exhausted from all the premonitions. You did the best. You found Patience." Phoebe nodded and layed down. Piper kissed her forehead, as Prue would have done, and tip toed to the door. She turned the handle and stepped into the hall. Turning around, she jumped.

"Prue!"

"Sorry, Piper," Prue said, sleepy eyed. "She wants Cole, doesn't she."

"You heard?" Piper asked.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it. She'll be ok."

"Where is he? Cole, I mean."

"He… um… well, Paige vanquished him with us, once and for all. He's dead, Prue."

"I figured as much. Should I talk to her?"

"In the morning. Right now, you both need to sleep." Super Mommy Piper! Prue smiled and saluted.

"You really took on the big sister role quickly, didn't you?"

"I learned from the best big sister ever." Piper responded, and hugged Prue before watching her disappear back into Paige's room.

"Piper? Are you coming to bed?" Leo called from the room he and Piper shared. Piper nodded and realized he couldn't see her. He must have gotten back when she was with Phoebe. She walked into her bed room and closed the door.

"Are the boys asleep?"

"For now. They slept the whole time at magic school. I have a feeling that they'll be bouncing off the walls soon."

"Great," Piper rolled her eyes as she put on her night gown.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of them in the morning. And the girls, are they asleep?"

Piper laughed. "I think so."

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Piper asked.

"I dunno… five kids maybe." Leo retorted, and Piper threw her pillow at him, as she climbed into bed beside him. "Well, it seems like it right?"

Piper nodded, snuggling against his chest. "Yeah, but I don't mind it. I don't mind it at all."

"You're glad to have her back?"

"I'm glad to have all my sisters with me, no matter how they get along." Piper recalled Phoebe and Prue's relationship. Now that roles were, well, slightly, reversed, would things be better between them, or worse? She hadn't the slightest clue. And how would Paige adjust to a third sister? Would she quarrel with the other two, or would she be Piper's right hand man, ehh, woman? All she could do was wait and see.

* * *

"Wyatt Matthew! Christopher! Boys you're gonna run your father ragged before the day even has a chance to start!" Piper called into the room where she could hear the sounds of orbing going on. Both of her sons had not yet mastered distance orbing, but enjoyed playing tag with their father by orbing just beyond his reach. All she heard back was giggling, as she walked into the living room and leaning against the doorway's edge to watch them. Leo grabbed Chris's leg, and began to tickle him ruthlessly. Wyatt leapt onto his father's back, and the older white lighter pulled him over his shoulder and laid him beside his little brother. Then he began to tickle him. Laughter settled over the manor. Piper shook her head, and turned back to the kitchen, and jumped.

"Prue! You have to stop appearing like that. It's almost like you can orb or something." Piper laughed.

"Sorry, sis." Prue answered. She was wearing one of Paige's night shirts. Piper frowned.

"I suppose we'll have to take you shopping."

"Did I hear shopping?" Phoebe poked her sleepy head into the kitchen, and ruffled Prue's hair.

"Yeah, after breakfast we'll take Prue to get some clothes." Piper explained as she went to the stove.

"That's not necessary Piper. I'm sure there's a box of some of our old clothes in the basement." Prue explained. She walked toward the doorway of the basement. "Help me Phoebe?"

"Maybe later." Phoebe replied, sitting down at the table. "And even still, those clothes are so, not with the time. We should get you some new ones." She added, unfolding the newspaper. Prue looked at her for a second, her eyebrow raised. "What?" Phoebe exclaimed, seeing that Prue was staring at her questioningly.

"You're reading a part of the newspaper that isn't the classifieds."

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "In case you didn't know, Prudence, I do have a job, and I do read the paper." Phoebe went back to her reading. Piper shook her head from where she was cooking pancakes.

"Leave her be, Prue. Phoebe's fine." Prue nodded and went to the living room entrance, and leaned against the doorway watching Leo and the boys.

"They're beautiful, Piper." She told her sister, a tear in her eye. She was thinking about Andy again. She always did. She hadn't been able to meet up with him in the afterlife; and now she knew why. Because she was destined to come back. Piper turned to look at her. She placed her hand on the teens shoulder. Prue smiled up at her.

"I know you miss him, but maybe I'm not the one you should talk to about these feelings," Piper told her quietly, pointing at Phoebe. Prue looked closer at her little sister. It was true. Phoebe was in mock happiness mode. Yet, only Piper and Prue seemed to see it. They knew her the best. Prue nodded, and wipped her eyes. Phoebe had actually married Cole, attempted to overcome his evil, and failed, and he died at the hands of her sister. At least Phoebe could pretend like it was all ok. Like she was completely over him. Prue went over to her sister and placed her arms around her.

"Prue? What was that for?"

"It'll be alright Phoebs. Everything will be alright." Prue told her simply, and sat down at the table beside her. Phoebe just stared at her, confused, until she heard Piper's voice shout through the air. She wondered why Paige never woke up to it.

"Leo! Wyatt! Chris! Breakfast!" A stampede of feet responded to Piper's call as Wyatt ran into the kitchen. The boys were approximately four and a half and two and a half. Wyatt launched himself into the seat across from Phoebe, and Leo placed Chris in the booster chair beside him, before taking a seat at one of the ends of the table. Phoebe stood up to pour coffee for herself, Piper and Leo. She looked at Prue and then back at Piper. "Aww, what the hell." Piper told her, and Phoebe poured a fourth cup for her other sister. Then she left the pot and a fifth mug out for Paige. Piper placed pancakes down in front of everyone, and sat down opposite her husband. Leo was cutting up Chris's pancake, and Piper began to do the same with Wyatt's but bigger pieces. Phoebe and Prue had entered a discussion about Phoebe's job. Prue wanted to go see it, which actually surprised Phoebe. She smiled at her older sister. Leo and Piper were talking about the elders and the state of magic school under Paige's leadership. Wyatt was teasing his brother.

"Mommy?"

"Yes Wyatt?"

The little boy's voice had gotten everyone's attention.

"Who's that girl?" He pronounced it 'gawl', making Prue laugh a bit. Piper, Leo, and Phoebe froze. Wyatt and Chris believed that their aunt Prue was dead. How could they tell the children who Prue was without the boys being given the ability to accidentally expose them?

"I'm your second cousin, Prudence. But you can call me Prue." The teen told them, smiling. Piper and Phoebe smiled, and Leo sighed. That was Prue,ever quick to come up with an explanation.

"Will you pay wifs us, Pue?" Chris asked, his voice small. Prue smiled at her nefew.

"Of course I will Chris. But only if you and Wyatt eat all the breakfast your mommy made."

Both boys nodded and finished their meal without arguing. Wyatt put his napkin down, and hopped off his chair. He grabbed Prue's hand and began to drag her away from the conversation she was having with Phoebe.

"Wyatt. Let Prue finish talking to Aunt Phoebe."

"That's alright Piper. We're done, right Phoebs?" Prue asked, letting the boy pull her, as Leo helped Chris out of his seat. The younger boy immediately went to help his brother.

"Yeah. Shopping this afternoon?" Phoebe responded and Prue nodded.

"Shopping?" Paige asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Piper, Prue, and Phoebe burst into laughter.

"Morning sleeping beauty." Phoebe told her, as Paige poured herself some coffee and Phoebe and Piper cleared the table. Leo followed Wyatt, Chris, and Prue into the living room. "Sleep well?" Phoebe asked, looking at watch and seeing that it was noon.

"Yeah. It was peaceful. I know it's weird, but I felt protected, like no demons could have hurt me or anyone at that moment."

Piper smiled. "Prue has that effect. She's a great big sister."

"But it's up to us to protect her now." Phoebe added. Piper and Paige nodded.

"Now, about shopping?" Paige asked. Piper and Phoebe just laughed.

"Aww, come on. I want to go too."

"We're taking Prue to the mall to get new clothes." Piper filled her in.

"Ohhhh… she'll need them, won't she?" Paige asked, laughing.

"I heard that!" Prue called back from where she and the boys were sitting on the floor in the conservatory. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige just laughed, before heading into join them.

* * *

Piper leaned on the horn of the car for the third time. "Lets go you three! I can't leave Leo alone with the boys forever, you know." She called out the window of the car to Phoebe, Paige, and Prue. Phoebe insisted that they atleast find something decent for Prue to wear to the mall. While Prue didn't seem to care either way, Paige had double teamed her with Phoebe, outvoting Piper. They had spent the last half hour making sure that they all looked good.

"We're coming!" Paige called out her bedroom window down to Piper. She grabbed Prue's hand and ran out the door and down the stairs.

"Paige! Slow down! You'll tear her arm off." Phoebe said, laughing as she followed them. "See ya Leo!" she called into the living room, where Leo was desperately trying to keep track of two hyper white lighter rugrats.

"Hurry back!" he called back to her, waving to Piper out the window.

Paige climbed in the backseat with Prue, while Phoebe climbed in beside her. Piper eyed her two younger siblings.

"What?" They both asked innocently, at the same time. Piper shook her head.

"Not so easy being outvoted, huh Piper?" Prue asked, mischief on every inch of her face.

"Don't you start siding with them now! Don't forget you're still the responsible one." Piper said back. Prue just folded her arms behind her head and leaned back. Paige and Phoebe smiled.

Twenty minutes later, Phoebe and Paige each had one of Prue's hands and were leading her down the mall. Piper followed behind, just as enthusiastic as they were. None of the four sisters happened to notice the two men who watched them from the second level.

The first looked to be about thirty or so. While the second was no older than twenty. They made a very odd combination. The older one ran his pale hand through sandy brown hair, and smirked at his companion. The younger smiled back, his long black hair pulled back in a horse tail.

"Do you think they know that the mall they love so much will be their grave, Sarton?" The younger asked. His companion shook his head.

"No. They're oblivious that their happiness will end so suddenly." The older man told Ergro. He grinned evilly and looked down at little Prue. "That bitch has eluded us one too many times. And now she and her sisters shall pay." He laughed and turned to Ergro. "You know what to do. Go, set the trap." Sarton stared at him until his face contorted into that of a young teenage boy, the same age as Prue now was. A teenage boy who Prudence Halliwell would know all too well. Sarton laughed. "Excellent likeness, Ergro."

"And you, my lord?" The demon's voice became smoother to fit his now youthful features. Sarton began to change as well. Ergro found himself gazing up at a rough looking man, with glittering eyes. "You had it easy. At least yours was part demon to begin with." Sarton just laughed.

"Does it matter, Ergro? Soon we will have two of the charmed sisters in our clutches, and the other two will have no choice but to follow! Lets go." Both demons walked off in separate directions. Boy, were the charmed ones in for a surprise.

* * *

Piper drifted between the racks of clothing. They may have been there to get clothes for Prue, but that didn't mean, she couldn't get something for herself as well. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Prue was alright. The girl was on the opposite end of the store running her eyes over a rack of tops. In truth, she may have been Piper's older sister, but in body, she was her younger sibling. Piper shook thoughts of the past out of her mind and looked back at her own rack.

"Worried about your daughter?" A voice suddenly sprang up behind her. Piper jumped, and then looked at the young sales rep. curiously.

"What?"

"I asked if you were worried about your daughter. It's alright you know. I've got one of my own. She's only four though." The woman continued. Piper couldn't believe what this woman was saying. After all, the woman couldn't have been more than a year younger than Piper herself.

"She's not my daughter." Piper snapped, her brows being knit together. "She's my sister."

The woman blushed. "I'm sorry." And instantly she was gone.

"Prue! Prue, where are you?" Piper called, the girl, seemed to have disappeared. "Great. She's supposed to be the responsible one. Not the one to disappear in a crowded mall. Prue? Paige? Phoebe?" Piper put down the dress she had been admiring, banished the evil thoughts she had toward the clerk out of her mind, and went in search of her sisters. Something didn't feel right. Why did she get the feeling that the sales clerk had only gotten her distracted to split her from her sisters. She ran out of the store, still calling out her sisters names. This was so not good.

"Prue! Phoebe! Paige!"

* * *

Prue looked up from the clothing she was looking through. Phoebe and Paige had already managed to get her a pretty good wardrobe, and had disappeared to do a little "shopping" for themselves, telling Piper that the type of "merchandise" they were looking for wouldn't be interesting in a teenager. Prue had just shaken her head to this, and had agreed to stay with Piper. Piper, however, looked like she was about to explode at the sales clerk, and if Piper, Phoebe, and Paige hadn't gotten control back over their powers, who knew what trouble Piper could wind up in. Prue, put down the shirt she had been looking at and took a step toward her younger sister.

"Psst… Prue! Prudence!" A young male voice called out to her. Prue looked around. No one but her sisters and Leo knew her name. She tried to pin point the voice. "Prue!" Prue's head snapped to her right. There, in the rack of skirts was a very familiar teenage boy. Prue's eyes grew wide with surprise, and slight suspicion.

"Andy?" she asked in disbelief, tip toeing over to the rack. The boy nodded. She reached him and put out her hand. She touched his cheek. It felt warm. The last time she felt him, he had been cold, lifeless, dead. A tear fell from her eye. He felt so wonderful to her touch. Andy moved her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm. "How did you get here?" Prue asked, cautiously. Andy shrugged.

"The last thing I remember was that demon, being thrown against the wall, and dieing." He explained to her. Prue nodded, remembering how Phoebe and Piper had told her of her love's death. "And now I'm fourteen again, and so are you. What's going on Prue?"

"I don't know. Well, I know how I got here, but not you Andy. I haven't the slightest clue how you got here." Andy's heart sank. Prue pulled him into an embrace, holding his head against her teenage breasts. "But don't worry Andy. We'll fix this." She held him close and felt him nodding. She closed her eyes and kissed him. It was the moment he had been waiting for. Andy's eyes glowed red, and slowly, he fed a demonic substance into Prue. She felt wozzy. "Andy."

"I missed you, Prue." He answered, pulling her back, and feeding her more of the toxin. Prue was powerless. She slowly collapsed on the ground, hidden by the long skirts on the rack. Andy shimmered out, grinning evilly.

"Prue!"

Prue heard Piper's voice as her mind started to go black. Was that a demon attack? How could she have been so stupid as to think Andy could come back too. Her sisters were in danger. Grave danger. Who would the demons attack next? Her mind raced. They had hit her where she was weakest. Where it would hurt the most. Her deceased lover. Suddenly her eyes flew open as realization hit, but her entire body was numb. Phoebe! They would attack Phoebe, next. "Piper!" Prue tried to call out, but her mouth wouldn't obey. Her eyes began to close again and she was surrounded by total darkness. Her breathing slowed until it was inaudible.

* * *

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that. I'll update soon, as this story is much shorter than most of my others.


	3. How Can I Protect You?

Sorry I made you wait so long for the third chapter, but I was busy with Spring break and some of my other fics.

BTW, **Chattypandgurl:** Yeah, Chris can talk. He's about 2 ½ in this fic, so he can't talk like an adult, hence the baby talk, such as pronouncing "play" as "pay" and "Prue" as "Pue", but he can express himself. My neighbor is two and she can talk, though not always in full sentences.

* * *

Paige stepped away from the counter, a coke in one hand, and a hot dog in the other. At some point during their "shopping" Paige had lost track of Phoebe, and eventually decided that if her sisters needed her, they would call her cell phone. She grabbed a straw and some napkins, and sat down at an unoccupied table a little out of sight, catching the eyes of some of the men at the table beside her. She winked flirtatiously as she delicately ate her hotdog and sipped her soda. Just as one the guys finally got the nerve up to approach her, a very distraught sister ran to Paige's table, and slammed her hands down on the surface.

"Paige!"

"Piper," Paige whined, using her eyes to convey her meaning. Piper glanced over her shoulder, and one of the guys waved. Piper just looked back at her sister, shaking her head.

"That's not important now. Where's Phoebe?" Piper told her.

"I dunno," Paige responded, with an attitude. Then she looked at her sister's face, and was suddenly alarmed. "Why?"

"Because Prue's missing." Piper exclaimed. Paige's face fell, and she eyed Piper as if she was nuts.

"Piper, Prue's a teenager. A teenager in a mall!" She expressed the second part of her statement. Piper shook her head.

"Prue's no ordinary teenager. She's thirty years old. She wouldn't have just wandered off."

Paige sighed. "Alright. You have a point. What should we do?"

"I'll call Phoebe, and you call for Leo." Piper instructed her, finally in enough of a panic, to actually think clearly. Paige nodded and sprinted toward the nearest restroom, as Piper grabbed her cell phone.

"Thank god, there isn't a line," Paige muttered, running into the bathroom, and turning the lock behind her. "LEO! LEO!" Paige called, as loud as she dared. She paced back and fourth, her hands on her hips. "LEO!" Finally, her brother-in-law orbed into the restroom, a screaming Chris in one arm, and a devilish Wyatt, obviously the cause of the screaming toddler, in the other.

"What Paige? What was so important that it couldn't wait?" Leo asked, handing her crying nephew to her. Paige instinctively began to bounce him gently on her hip, trying to soothe him.

"Prue's gone missing."

"In a mall?" Leo asked skeptically. "Paige, she's a teenager."

"She's thirty, Leo, and she's Prue!"

"Good point." Leo said, placing Wyatt on the floor and holding his hand. Chris had finally stopped crying and was laying his head on Paige's shoulder, sucking his thumb. "I'll sense for her." Leo shut his eyes and began to try to locate Prue. Minutes went by before Leo opened his eyes again. "I've got her. She's in the lower level of the department store on the east side. It looks like the women's section. Oh God!"

"Leo, what is it?"

"She's unconscious, and not breathing very well." Leo said, picking Wyatt up and taking Chris back. "I'll take the boys to magic school and meet you there."

"Alright, Hurry." Paige told him. As soon as he orbed out, Paige flushed the toilet to make it seem like she had a normal purpose for the room. As she walked out, she faced odd looks from some older women waiting in line for the restroom.

"Was there a man in there with you?" An elder woman asked. Paige looked at her as if she was crazy. "Um… no." she added a bit of disgust to her voice to make herself sound convincing.

"But I distinctly hear a male voice, and a baby crying."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lady. But I gotta go." Paige told her, before sprinting back to the food court, where Piper grabbed her hands and pulled her behind a potted plant in the corner.

"Phoebe's not answering her cell phone. I think she turned it off." Piper said, distressed. "Any luck reaching Leo?" Paige nodded vigorously.

"Prue's unconscious in the women's department of the store where Phoebe and I left you."

"What?"

"Yeah, she's barely breathing. Leo's going to meet us there." Paige explained as she grabbed Piper's hands and orbed them away from the food court, praying her powers would get her to Prue safely.

* * *

Phoebe felt her cell phone vibrate at her side. She moved her hand to it and shut off the power, as she leaned further into the passionate lip lock she was engaged in. She had forgotten how amazing his kisses were. She wanted to stay there, her lips tasting the warmth of his. Feeling his hand run up and down her arms. He backed her against the wall.

"Who was it?" he asked, in a rushed voice, as he broke the kiss slightly. Phoebe shrugged and pulled him back to her. She licked his lips, her body burning up with the passion of the moment.

"No one important," she replied as he pushed her up against the towel holder of the restroom he had cornered her in. He eyed her hungrily.

"That's good. I missed you." His voice came slowly, as he kissed her passionately following each word. Phoebe placed her hands on both sides of his face, pulling him towards her. She ran her palms along his cheeks, feeling the coarseness of the stubble he was growing. She traced his eyes nose and mouth with her finger, gently. "I missed you too. So, so, so much." She told him, continuing her exploration of his features. He laughed at her.

"What are you doing?" he stressed the word 'are' making him seem more amused then he really was.

"Memorizing you. It's been so long; too long. I want to make sure that if you ever leave again, I won't forget a thing." Phoebe explained, kissing him again. He sighed.

"I'm not going to leave again, Phoebe."

"But the elders won't like it. They'll send you away."

He shook his head. "No one can send me away again." He pressed his lips against her forehead, the bridge of her nose, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips. "I want you Phoebe. No, I need you."

"Now?"

"Yes, I need you."

"Here? But I… I…" He kissed her deeply, snaking his hand under her shirt and beneath her bra, cupping her breast. He began to run his finger over her nipple, making her moan in pleasure. At the same moment she opened her mouth, he slipped a bit of toxin into her system, making her feel very light headed. He began to pull her shirt off her shoulders.

"Cole! Wait! Stop! This isn't right," Phoebe gasped. He pushed her away from him, and glared at her. The he slapped her across the face, sending her flying into the metal sink.

"Oh, but it is Phoebe. It's very, very right." He told her, as he advanced on her. Phoebe was frozen in terror beneath the sink. She stared up at him, tears and fear in her eyes. Oh God! He was going to have his way and then she was going to die, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, she could do about it.

* * *

"Paige, where is she?" Piper demanded as soon as Paige materialized them in a dressing room in the women's department.

"I don't know." Paige told her, trying to calm her older sister down. "But stay cool until we find her. It'll look suspicious if you go running out of here." Paige explained. Piper nodded, but fear was written all over her face. She had lost Prue once; she knew she couldn't handle loosing her or another sister again. "You good?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

Paige nodded and opened the door to the changing room. She walked out normally, Piper following right behind her. "Ok, so where was the last place you saw her?" Paige asked Piper as they walked between the racks, thanking god that the department was relatively empty. Both women were looking at the ground around them since Leo had said she was unconscious.

"Over there." Piper pointed to the skirts and casual dresses. "I was opposite her, looking at some blouses when a sales woman distracted me." Piper told her blushing, remembering the conversation, and how the woman accused Piper of being Prue's mother.

"I'm not even going to ask." Paige told her, noticing the blush on her features. She quickened her pace until they reached the area where Piper had last seen their charge. They split up and began to search the racks.

"Can I help you ma'am?" A young sales woman asked Paige. Paige just smiled.

"Yeah you can tell me where to find unconscious teenage girls," she mumbled under her breath. The clerk's cheerfulness was obviously fake. Paige could tell she didn't want to be working that day. Who said you needed the power of empathy to tell what people were thinking?

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Well, I dunno. Um… if you were looking for a skirt to wear to a high school dance, where would you look?" Paige asked. "It's for my little sister." She added as an after thought when the woman looked at her oddly.

"Oh, um… I guess those, over there." The woman told her, pointing to a rack on the back wall.

"Thanks." Paige said, and she walked quickly over to the rack, scanning the floor as she went. Suddenly she caught site of a hand outstretched on the ground. Only someone looking for it would have seen it beneath the long draped skirts. "Piper!"

Piper sprinted over to Paige, who had run to Prue's side and hidden them behind the skirts in the alcove. Piper rushed in with them, thanking gods it was a large alcove. Prue was barely breathing, as Paige propped her head up on her lap. Piper grabbed hold of her hand.

"Piper?" Prue's voice cracked, even though her eyes never opened. Piper nodded, tears in her eyes, as she feared loosing her again. "Yes." She managed. "Hold on sweetie. Leo!" Piper called, as loud as she dared. Suddenly he orbed in beside her.

"Oh thank god. We're not too late, are we?" Paige asked her brother-in-law. Leo shook his head and placed his hand over her Prue's heart. For a few moments nothing happened, except that Prue's color began to get worse. Piper began to cry. Paige and Leo held their breaths. The her heart began to steadily beat faster and the girl began to breath much better.

"Thank god, Leo." Piper told him, throwing her arms around him as Prue began to cough. She buried her face in his neck, tears of happiness on her face.

"Paige? Piper? Leo?" Prue asked, slowly sitting up. Paige hugged her tightly, before Piper grabbed her around the neck and dragged her toward her.

"Don't you ever, ever scare me like that again. I already lost you once."

"I'm sorry." Prue told her, softly, unsure what to say. She had been so close to death again, but would it have been that bad if she could finally move on to be with her mom, grams, and Andy.

"Prue, what happened?" Leo asked gently. Prue shook her head.

"Andy…"

"Andy's dead, Prue." Piper told her.

"Yeah, and so was I. But he was here, and he called me to him. He kissed me and the next moment I was dying. I think he fed me some kind of toxin. Piper, I think some thing brought him back to life and turned him evil." Prue told her sister, tears in her eyes.

"Prue, it probably wasn't Andy. It was just another demon."

"No! I know Andy's kisses. It was him! But the demons, they're not after just me. I felt it. They're going to attack you guys also."

"But Prue, we're fine." Paige told her.

"Oh my god! Phoebe! They attacked Prue using Andy…" Piper began.

"And they'll attack Phoebe using Cole." Leo finished for her. Prue nodded. She had realized it moments after she was attacked. Leo shut his eyes and began searching the mall for his third sister-in-law as Paige grabbed her cell phone and frantically dialed Phoebe's number. No answer.

"Found her. She's in the restroom outside the store. There's someone with her, but I can't tell who it is." Leo told them, opening his eyes once again.

Suddenly the skirts around them pulled back, and the young sales woman stared at them. "Um… what are you doing?"

"Nothing." Paige answered, innocently.

"Nice story," Prue mumbled.

"Well, um… we expect this sort of thing from children, but really this is no place for a group discussion. Would you mind stepping out of there before I have security come and remove you from the store."

"We were just leaving." Leo told her, standing up and pulling Piper along behind him. Paige helped Prue to stand up and then all walked past the clerk and towards the exit into the mall.

"Leo, which way?" Prue asked, getting impatient. She still felt really light headed, so Piper and Paige stood on either side of her, her arms over their shoulders, so they could support her. Leo shut his eyes again and concentrated.

"There." He said, pointing to the bathroom.

"Damn it! There's a line." Paige cursed as they approached the bathroom at a sprint. Piper held up her hands, praying she wouldn't blow the innocent people to bits. They all suddenly froze. "Good thinking." Paige told her.

"Hurry up. We don't know if our powers are back to normal, meaning I don't know how long this will last." Piper snapped. Suddenly, they heard a scream on the other side of the door.

"Move!" Prue yelled, and she tossed the heavy metal door aside with her mind. All three witches and the whitelighter ran into the bathroom to see Phoebe on the cold floor beneath the sink, her pants pulled down to her ankles, her shirt ripped open in front; her hair twisted around, and Cole standing over her, an athame raised to her chest. Prue thrust her hands up and Cole flew backward into the wall.

"Piper!"

"I can't! I might blow up Phoebe." Piper yelled. Paige thrust Prue towards Piper, and ran to Phoebe's side.

"We've got to get you out of here." She whispered, and held her sister's arm, praying to god her powers would get them to the manor, as she orbed them out of the restroom. Leo nodded and grabbed hold of Piper who was clinging to Prue, and the next moment they were gone.

"God Damn it!" Cole shouted, as the mall patrons unfroze. He looked around, rubbing his hands over his head. Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching and he shape shifted into Phoebe, stepping out of the restroom, who's door was now off the hinges. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you." He told the woman who had arrived to use the bathroom, sweetly, and walked off down the mall corridors, whispering about lucky witches, and how he would get his revenge.

* * *

Piper paced back and fourth in the conservatory of the manor. Leo sat in one chair, trying to locate Paige and Phoebe, and Prue sat nervously opposite him.

"Leo?"

"Nothing. They haven't materialized yet." He responded, without breaking his concentration. Prue looked up at Piper, and then out the window. She was thinking about the attack in the mall. Was Phoebe alright? What was she going to do? How could she protect her three little sisters? She didn't know.

"Prue?"

"I'm fine." A single tear rolled down her cheek. She had to be right. Her decision was perfect. How could it be fail? How? Suddenly Paige orbed in with Phoebe in her arms.

"Prue- Thank god!" Piper exclaimed, getting diverted by her other sisters' safe return. Paige helped Phoebe over to the couch.

"Yeah. Sorry, with my powers not working right, it's kinda hard to orb that quickly and actually make it where I wanted." Paige explained. Piper nodded and knelt beside Phoebe. Her face was covered in tears, her makeup looked horrible, and her hair a mess.

"Pheebs?" Piper asked her gently. Phoebe just shook her head and stared off into space. Piper sighed, and walked over to Paige. "Well, they're both in right states. The demons may not have been able to kill them physically, but I wouldn't doubt that they're dead on the inside."

Paige nodded, and went into the kitchen. Leo followed her, leaving Piper alone with her two sisters. She looked at them both, and then at Leo's back in the distance. She had her true love, why did they have to loose theirs and then have it thrown back in their faces? It just wasn't fair, and not even the elders could argue that it was.

"You know. You're lucky to have survived." She told them, getting their attention. Prue looked at her with genuine curiosity, but Phoebe's gaze was hollow. "They must have been powerful. I'm so glad I didn't lose you, either of you."

Prue nodded and Phoebe just looked past her. "I'll be in my room until dinner." She walked past her older sister, and ran up the stairs. Piper and Prue winced at the sound of the door slamming.

"I should talk to her." Prue told Piper, who nodded in agreement.

"Go easy on her. We don't know exactly what he did." Piper told her. Prue nodded understanding. They really didn't know what Cole had done before they got there. Prue never actually trusted him, and she certainly didn't now.

"Piper?" Paige called from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Piper called back, patting Prue on the shoulder. "You talk to Pheebs, while we try to figure out what to do." Prue nodded and went up the stairs after her little sister. Piper shook her head and went into the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Well, Phoebe sorta grabbed a handful of his hair while they were um… yeah. And it's all over her clothing. Meaning…"

"Meaning we have something to scry for these demons," Piper finished for her, a smile on her face. No one tries to kill her sisters and gets away with it. Leo nodded.

"Only problem is, with Phoebe in the state she's in, we'll never get her to let us use the hair to scry, and she can't help with the power of three." Leo reminded them. Piper's heart sank.

"Prue's with her now. I'm sure she'll help her through what ever happened." She told them. "In the mean time, Paige, go look in the Book of Shadows. We can try to find out what exactly we're fighting, and make the vanquishing potion." Paige nodded and ran up the stairs to the attic.

"Piper?"

"Hmmm?"

"They're gonna be ok. They're tough girls. And Prue's not a little kid." Leo told her, placing his arms around his wife. Piper shrugged him off, not in the mood to listen to his whitelighter reasoning. "Piper."

"No Leo! They're my sisters, and they almost died because I didn't protect them. Leo, I couldn't protect them. I wasn't strong enough."

"But you saved both of them."

"I saved them from actually dieing. And we know Andy only kissed Prue. But we don't know what Cole did to Phoebe. We don't know what he did to my little sister, Leo!" Piper cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. Leo stood up and held her in his arms as she sobbed. "Leo, we don't if he hurt her."

"I know sweetheart. I know."

* * *

"Phoebe, can I come in?" Prue said, knocking on her sister's bedroom door. There wasn't an answer, just a muffled moan. Prue turned the doorknob gently and pushed the door open. Phoebe lay on her bed, tears streaming down her face, staring straight up at the ceiling. "Phoebe." The younger witch turned to look at her big sister, tears still in her eyes. Her eyes looked lifeless and cold. "He did it, didn't he?" Phoebe didn't answer. She couldn't. How could she confess what he'd done to her. Just before he raised the athame to her chest? "Phoebe, he raped you, didn't he?" Prue asked gently, again. Phoebe sobbed, but shook her head slowly. "Oh Pheebs!" Prue went to her, taking her head in her lap and running her fingers through her hair.

"Prue, I thought he loved me."

"I know."

"I thought he'd never hurt me. But he… he… he tried to forced me, and then he tried to kill me. I wish he had killed me, Prue. I wish I was dead." Phoebe struggled, crying, hiding her face in Prue's shoulder.

"Shhh…. No, Phoebe. You'd don't want to be dead. We couldn't be together if you were. I came back to be with you, Piper, and Paige. I'm not going to let any of you go, ever."

"But, Prue, I'm so dirty now. I'm not clean enough. I can't be, ever again, Prue." Phoebe pleaded, tears still in her eyes.

"No Phoebe. He didn't do it. You're fine. You're still Phoebe, and you're still clean." Prue told her, rocking her back and fourth. "And maybe it wasn't Cole. Maybe it wasn't." Phoebe shook her head violently. Prue paused to listen. She had heard Paige run past on her way to the attic, but the door had just closed, and she heard the footsteps leave the attic. Paige must have found the demons, however, her footsteps stopped right outside Phoebe's room.

"No. I know what Cole feels like, and that was Cole. I've got no doubt that it was him. But maybe he's being controlled." Phoebe told her, her tears replaced by false anger. Prue could tell that Phoebe was hiding something. Prue sighed.

"I believe you Phoebe."

"You do?" Phoebe asked her, suspiciously. Prue smiled.

"Yeah, Phoebe, I do." Prue told her sister

"Yeah Phoebe, I do." Prue told her as Phoebe twisted around and sat up to look at her. "That doesn't change the fact that I don't like him, but if you say it was him, then it was him."

Phoebe looked at her harder. "Why?"

"Because whoever is controlling Cole, is controlling Andy." Prue used her fingers to put quotes around the word controlling, and then winked at her sister, smiling. Phoebe looked at her, questioningly. The older witch jerked her teenage head towards the door. Phoebe shut her eyes and concentrated on her power. Her body went stiff for a moment as she gasped, and a premonition overtook her. She slowly opened her eyes, having seen Paige listening at the door.

"Why that…" Phoebe breathed. Prue put her finger against her sister's lips and shook her head.

"Phoebe, I'm heart broken, just as you are. I know he went much further with you, though." Prue began, smiling. Phoebe nodded, agreeing to play along. Now was her chance.

"I can't fight him, Prue. I love him. Piper and Paige don't understand what it's like to see the man you love die and then watch him come back to life again." Phoebe looked away from her, her voice shaking.

"Phoebe?"

"I can't! No, I won't fight him. I won't kill him!" Phoebe yelled at her, and Prue nodded.

"I agree. If Piper and Paige are insistent upon this, they'll have to go it alone." Prue told her.

"Did Andy tell you anything?" Phoebe asked her older sister. Prue shook her head. They heard Paige stiffen outside the doorway and realized that she was now watching through the key hole.

"No, but I heard him talking to someone as I blacked out. They mentioned meeting at an abandoned subway station sometime between 2 o'clock and 5 o'clock this morning, on the west side of town. Must be the demon's hide out?"

"Yeah. Then we mustn't let Paige and Piper know. If they find out, they'll kill Andy and Cole without a second thought. I know that it was Cole who attacked me. His kisses can't be mimicked. He had to be under some type of spell." Phoebe pleaded with Prue, tears in her eyes again.

"I know, Pheebs. I know."

"Don't let Piper know! Please!" Phoebe begged. Prue nodded.

"I won't." Both women paused to listen; quietly footsteps retreated back down the stairs. Prue smiled, as did Phoebe. "Well, they'll be on a wild goose chase, for at least three hours." Prue laughed. "You know it really wasn't Cole who attacked you, right Pheebs?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to protect Piper and Paige, and you. Those were some really bad demons. I figured if they thought I believe it was Cole, they wouldn't risk going up against them." Prue nodded. She had thought the same thing.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"The book of shadows. You have any of Demon Cole's hair or clothing from the attack?" Phoebe just blushed and nodded. She pulled some of the Demon's hair off her shirt, and pinched it in her fingers. "The better to scry with, my dear." Prue told her with a smile, as she lead the way to the attic.

* * *

Paige ran straight into the kitchen and slapped her hands, and a sheet of paper down on the counter.

"Paige? What is it?" Piper asked, startled, turning her attention away from the family's dinner. While they still didn't know what they were going to do about the powerful demon situation, Piper figured it best to proceed with life as normal.

"Good news and bad news, and then more good news with more bad news."

"Paige!" Leo scolded from his seat at the table. He was trying to contact the elders for help finding the demons, but so far they weren't answering.

"Ok, Ok. I found out that the demons are really powerful shape shifters who use toxin to kill inconspicuously. They're called Fenlocks, and they also happen to be the same demons who attacked Patience last night." Paige told them. Piper waited for her to continue. "The bad news, we have nothing to use to scry for them. But, Prue heard Andy mention an abandoned subway station on the west side of town."

"The old Sefters Station?" Leo suggested.

"That's the only abandoned one in that area." Piper said, nodding.

"They'll be there at some point between 2 o'clock and 5 o'clock in the morning." Paige finished.

"And the last bad news?" Piper prompted her. Paige looked sadly at her older sister.

"Phoebe and Prue are completely convinced that it was Andy and Cole who attacked them, and that they're acting under some type of spell. They refuse to help us, thus, no power of three, or four, or whatever."

"Paige, if they didn't want to help, why would they tell you where to find the demons?" Leo asked her suspiciously.

"Um… you see, I sorta… eased dropped."

"Paige!" Piper complained.

"What? There's no other way we'd have gotten this information."

"Well, we just can't let them know that we're going anywhere. We'll make the vanquishing potion and wait until they're asleep tonight. Leo, you'll stay here with the boys."

"No way! Not if it's just the two of you. It's too dangerous. I'm coming."

"No you're not mister! You need to make sure Phoebe and Prue don't realize we've gone anywhere." Piper told him. Paige nodded her agreement. Leo sighed defeated.

"Promise me you'll be careful. These guys can be tricky, and challenging. Especially when it's just two of the three charmed ones." Leo reminded them.

"We promise." Paige told him. Piper kissed his cheek, and he orbed out to Magic School and the young half witch/whitelighters.

"Now Paige, what's that?" Piper pointed to the piece of paper in Paige's hand. Paige looked down at it, having forgotten it.

"Oh, this is the recipe for the vanquishing potion. A small vial of this will kill 30 fenlocks easily, and we're probably going up against about a handful at most." Paige told her. Piper raised an eyebrow.

"In that case, better make two or three vials. We never know how many we'll be facing." Paige just laughed and placed the recipe on the counter, and began to gather the ingredients. Piper put another pot on the stove, and turned back to dinner. She'd let Paige take care of the potion.

"Now don't get the two pots confused." She scolded her little sister. Paige rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Piper. "Oh, very mature."

* * *

"Brilliant Paige, just brilliant." Phoebe said, rolling her eyes. Prue sat over a map of the city testing the hairs Phoebe gave her to scry, while her sister was thumbing through the Book of Shadows to find the demons and vanquishing potion. Phoebe shook her head when she realized Paige had bookmarked both pages.

"Hmmm? What is it Phoebe?" Prue asked her, looking up for a moment.

"Nothing. Paige just left the book open to the pages we need." Phoebe placed the ribbon bookmarks in the two pages and shut the book. She walked over to Prue and sat beside her. "How goes the scrying?"

Prue smiled. "They're hanging around near here. Probably trying to figure out when to attack next. Piper and Paige will be perfectly safe on the other end of town. We just have to make sure they get there without drawing our demon buddies' attentions." Phoebe nodded in agreement, and walked over to the window of the attic. "How long will the potion take?"

"Thirty minutes. Leaving us about two and a half hours to vanquish their sorry asses." Phoebe told the teenager, still focusing on the window. "What if we just use the left over from their potion?" Prue nodded. Much better idea.

"What's wrong, Phoebe?"

"I'm just worried. I mean, what if we die?" Phoebe looked back at her older sister, a tear in her eye.

"It's not that bad, Phoebe's. There's good things on both sides. Here, we've got Piper and Paige, and Leo. But if we die, we'll have Grams and Mom and Andy and," Prue trailed off.

"You'll have Andy, Prue. I can't ever be with Cole again." Phoebe shrugged and sat down on the futon. She sighed. "Oh well. I guess that's the risk we've got to take to protect Piper and Paige, and I want to protect them, Prue."

"I know you do, Phoebe. That's why we're doing this." Prue told her, with a knowing smile. Phoebe shook her head.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Prue asked her.

"Make yourself seem so much wiser and more mature, even when you're in the body of a fourteen year old?" Phoebe laughed. "I mean, you're pint sized."

"Shut it, Phoebe!"

"Aww… is shorty upset?"

"Phoebe!" Prue shouted, and suddenly she was hit by a pillow. "Really?" Suddenly the pillow flew back at Phoebe, who was laughing helplessly on the futon.

"Hey, no powers! I'll tell Piper!" She fell over laughing harder.

"PRUE! PHOEBE! DINNER!" Piper's voice came through the doorway.

"COMING!" Prue called back and stood up. She reached down and helped Phoebe up. "And don't worry about it. Everything is going to be just fine." Prue told her as they walked down the stairs. Prue hopped off the final step onto the floor and walked into the kitchen, Phoebe behind her.

"Feeling better, Pheebs?" Piper asked, a smile on her face. Phoebe locked her eyes on those of her older sister. For once Piper wouldn't be protecting her, she'd protect Piper.

"Yeah. Thanks." Phoebe answer, after a moments pause. She sat down beside Paige, who passed her the rolls and butter. Suddenly a stamped of footsteps resonated through the hall.

"MOMMY!"

"MAMA!"

Two small bodies who accompanied the voices came running into the kitchen. Piper caught her balance as Wyatt and Chris slammed into her legs. "Whoa. Whoa. Slow down you two. Ready for dinner?" Both boys nodded as Leo walked into the kitchen to join them.

"Sorry Piper, but the elders don't know anything." He stopped when he saw Phoebe and Prue already seated at the table. Wyatt was climbing up besides his father's chair and Piper was lifting her two year old into his seat.

"Help with what, Leo?" Prue asked.

"Nothing. Nothing."

"Oh, come on Leo, it can't be that bad. What did you need the elder's help with?" Phoebe pressed him. Leo shot looks at both Piper and Paige for help.

"Chris." Piper cut in. "Chris and Wyatt and their constant fighting. I was just curious if it was normal, or if it was some weird white lighter competition going on." Piper explained.

"Of course it's normal, Piper. You don't remember how much You, me and Phoebe used to go at it?" Prue laughed.

"Oh, this I have to hear about," Paige added.

"No No! You don't want to know about our fights." Piper said, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Yes I do!" Paige argued. "Come on Prue, tell!"

"Oi!"

* * *

Piper and Paige sat at the kitchen table, listening to the wind blowing through the trees outside. Phoebe and Prue had gone up to bed about an hour before, and thus the other two were waiting before they snuck out. Leo walked quietly into the kitchen and sat down beside Piper who passed him a cup of coffee.

"The boys are sound asleep."

"Good. And Phoebe and Prue?" Piper asked him, standing up to get herself another cup of coffee.

"Asleep in Phoebe's room. The vanquishing potion?"

"All set and ready," Paige informed him, holding up three small vials. The clock struck one in the morning. "Should we go?" Paige looked toward Piper, who nodded.

"Be careful, both of you. And if you need me, you better call!" Leo commanded them.

"We will," Piper assured him, and kissed him lightly. Leo nodded reluctantly, seriously worried about his wife and sister-in-law. He looked unconvinced. "I promise!"

"Good luck."

"Thanks," Paige said cheerfully, placing her hand on Piper's shoulder and orbing them out. They'd been practicing their powers since dinner and thus was confident that her ability to orb anywhere she wanted easily, was restored. Leo watched them go, hoping they'd get back safely. He sat down at the table with his own cup of coffee. Suddenly, a door upstairs slammed shut. He jumped slightly and frowned.

"Wyatt!" he whispered, exasperated with his energetic son, and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Leo peeked into the nursery, only to find both half witchlings, half whitelighters sound asleep in their respective beds. Leo frowned again as the sound of whimpering reached his ears. He turned to locate the sound which was coming from Phoebe's room, who's door was slightly cracked. The charmed one's whitelighter crept quietly to the door and peered in. Prue was no where to be found, and Phoebe was tossing and turning.

"No! Cole! Please! No!" Phoebe muttered in her sleep. Leo sighed and pushed the door open, and quickly walked over to his sister-in-law.

"Phoebe. Phoebe, wake up. You're having a night mare." He touched her shoulder gently and shook her. Her eyes flew open as a scream escaped her lips.

"No! Cole!" She sat bolt upright and looked at Leo who was completely taken aback, tears in her eyes. She was breathing rapidly. She swallowed. "Leo?"

"It's alright, Phoebe. You were dreaming."

"Cole's not here?"

"No, Phoebe. Are you ok?" He asked her, concerned. Phoebe nodded quickly, still breathing fast.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. Where's Piper?"

"Asleep. She tired herself out worrying about the de- Andy and Cole." Leo told her, knowing that she and Prue believed that they were attacked by their deceased lovers. Phoebe nodded again. Slowly a shadow descended on the doorway, and both the witch and whitelighter turned to see Prue enter.

"What's going on?" she asked, sleepily. She yawned.

"Nothing. Phoebe just had a nightmare about Cole." Leo informed her, as she walked back to the bed. Prue nodded her understanding.

"You alright, Pheebs?"

"Yeah."

"Wait. Prue, where have you been?"

She frowned at his invasion of her privacy. "Bathroom."

"Oh, so that explains the door slamming."

"Sorry," she told him blushing, realizing she had scared him.

Leo smiled at her. He could never be angry with her, especially since she had died. It felt weird to be looking at such a young face, and still somehow know that he was talking to someone slightly older than himself. He thought back to when he had just met her, well, in person. "No big deal," he responded, getting up and walking towards the door. "Night guys. Get some rest, you had a long, rough day. You sure you're ok, Phoebe?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright. Phoebe?"

"Hmm?"

"Whatever he did, I won't let him hurt you again." Leo told her, looking serious. His eyes full of concern. Phoebe smiled slightly and nodded. Leo responded with a nod of his own, and left the room, closing the door behind him. They watched the hall light turn out, through the crack between the door and the floor, and listened as Leo entered the room he shared with Piper.

Phoebe sighed. "I really hated deceiving him like that."

"There wasn't any other way to get him away from the kitchen and Paige's left over potion." Prue told her. Phoebe could picture a mischievous smile highlighting the teens face, but Prue wasn't a teen. She was an adult who was only doing this to protect the very same people who trying to protect her. Phoebe shook the though from her mind. She had wanted to protect Prue also. It was wonderful to have her back, but Prue's reincarnation only provided the chance for Phoebe to loose her again.

"How much?"

"Enough for another three vials." Prue held up the vanquishing potion. Phoebe nodded and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Prue followed suit, grabbed the vials, and thrust them deep in her pockets. Then she grabbed the crystal and map they had been scrying with all night and walked over to the window where Phoebe was already standing. "It's a long drop; You sure about this Pheebs?"

"There's no other way. If we went out the front door, it would give Leo more time to follow." She took a note out of her pocket and laid it on the bed beside the window. Prue nodded and came closer to her sister. Phoebe lifted her legs over the sill and sat on the edge. She reached for the tree limb infront of her, latched onto it, and used it to slow her decent to the ground below. Luckily the manor wasn't built on a level lot; instead the ground below her window was two yards higher than that on street level. She landed softly on the ground, using a touch of her levitation ability. "I'm really glad they finally gave that back," she remarked to herself about the Elders. Phoebe looked back up at Prue who tossed her the map and crystal, and then the vials, one by one. The older sister looked down nervously. Phoebe gave her a determined look and nodded, not wanting to make a sound and blow their cover. Prue lifted her legs over the sill, and nodded. She closed her eyes, and let her self drop, landing safely in Phoebe's arms. They both fell onto the soft grass. "You ok?" Phoebe asked, passing the vials back to Prue. She stored them safely in her cushioned pockets, once again and nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go to the car." Phoebe nodded, pulling the car keys out of her pocket. She unlocked the doors, and climbed into the driver's seat and passed the map and crystal back to Prue who climbed in beside her. Phoebe turned the key in the ignition, and a light immediately turned on in Leo and Piper's room. "GO!" Prue told her, unfolding the map and taking out the crystal. "They're at the old warehouse on fifth street." Phoebe nodded and stepped on the gas, leaving the manor and Leo behind.

* * *

A/N: Well, that took a while, but what else should I use History 102 for? Anyway, hope you liked. I look forward to your reviews. 


End file.
